A parasitic haunting: When snakes are eaten from within
Amidst the sawgrass and cypress swamps of Everglades National Park, a 16-foot Burmese python slithers in search of its next meal. But something else is preying on the python from within......»»
Making plant-based meat alternatives more palatable with protein microgels
One of the biggest obstacles to the uptake of plant-based alternatives to meat is their very dry and astringent feel when they are eaten......»»
What do a jellyfish, a cat, a snake, and an astronaut have in common? Math.
Across the animal kingdom there are creatures that move through their environments not by walking or running or climbing but instead by simply changing the shape of their bodies. This kind of locomotion is found in snakes as they slither, in stingray.....»»
Is this the protein plant of the future? New study finds "sweetness gene" that makes lupins tastier
If you walk into a bar in Italy, you might be served a dish of salty, nutritious snacks: lupin beans, a legume that has been eaten around the Mediterranean and in parts of the Middle East and Africa for thousands of years......»»
About 1 in 3 vertebrate species is used, eaten or traded by humans, study finds
A cheetah pouncing on a gazelle. A bear snatching a fish out of the water with its claws. And the most dangerous predator of them all? A human and their pet bird dancing to Gangnam Style......»»
When cheating pays: Survival strategy of insect uncovered
Researchers have revealed the unique 'cheating' strategy a New Zealand insect has developed to avoid being eaten—mimicking a highly toxic species......»»
Nuisance vegetation removal in Senegalese waterways reduces overall prevalence of parasitic infections
It's an elegant solution: Remove the habitat of a parasite-carrying aquatic snail and reduce the level of infection in the local community; all while generating more feed and compost for local farmers......»»
Bizarre ‘mind-controlling’ parasitic worm lacks genes found in every known animal
Bizarre ‘mind-controlling’ parasitic worm lacks genes found in every known animal.....»»
Kenneth Branagh hunts the dead in the official trailer for A Haunting in Venice
I have loved all of the Hercule Poirot films that Kenneth Branagh has put out, so I am stoked to see him return as the … The post Kenneth Branagh hunts the dead in the official trailer for A Haunting in Venice appeared first on BGR......»»
"Mind controlling" parasitic worms are missing genes found in every other animal, researchers find
In a world full of bizarre animals, hairworms are some of the strangest. Hairworms are parasitic worms that manipulate the behavior of their hosts in what's sometimes called "mind control.".....»»
Detecting nanoplastics in fractions of a second using modified Raman spectroscopy
Microplastics are tiny, barely visible plastic particles that can harm the environment, for example, if they are eaten by animals. However, it has been difficult to assess the effect of even smaller particles, which can hardly be detected using conve.....»»
Harmful substances impacting tiger snakes across Perth, study finds
New research has found tiger snakes in Perth's urban wetlands are accumulating high levels of chemical substances from ingesting PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), impacting the venomous reptiles' overall health......»»
DNA element with a murky past is borrowing cell"s repair machinery
Like its viral cousins, a somewhat parasitic DNA sequence called a retrotransposon has been found borrowing the cell's own machinery to achieve its goals......»»
Plastic pollution threatens birds far out at sea, according to new research
Seabirds are one of the world's most threatened animal groups. They already contend with multiple issues, including climate change, accidental capture in fishing gear and being eaten by invasive species like cats and some rodents......»»
Potent new compound has breakthrough potential for parasitic sleeping sickness and Chagas treatment
Scientists have discovered a new class of compound that is potentially active against trypanosome parasites that cause human African trypanosomiasis (or sleeping sickness) and Chagas disease......»»
DNA barcoding identifies the plants a person has eaten
What people say they've eaten and what they've actually eaten are often two very different lists of foods. But a new technique using DNA barcoding to identify the plant matter in human feces may get at the truth, improving clinical trials, nutrition.....»»
Are viruses keeping sea lice at bay in wild salmon?
More than 30 previously unknown RNA viruses in sea lice have been identified by University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers. Sea lice are parasitic copepods (small crustaceans) found in many fresh and saltwater habitats, and have been implicated.....»»
Varroa mites and deformed wing virus make honeybees more susceptible to insecticides
Controlling for Varroa mites, the parasitic mites that feed on honey bees and serve as vectors for viral diseases like deformed wing virus (DWV), can help with improving honeybee populations and make bees less susceptible to harmful insecticides, acc.....»»
Snake genome reveals burrowing past and re-adaptation to surface life
Chromosome-level assembly of 14 snakes in a study led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, has created a high-resolution genomic reference for the study of snake evolution. In a paper, "Large-scale snake genome analyses provide insights into ve.....»»
Editing a snake genome to stop production of dorsal scales
A team of geneticists and evolutionary specialists at the University of Geneva working with a colleague from the University of Zurich report that the hexagonal patterns seen on the backs and sides of some snakes are not self-organizing. In their stud.....»»
Studying the parenting behavior of poison frogs using tadpole-like robots
Over the past few decades, roboticists have developed robots inspired by a wide range of animals, including dogs, snakes, birds, spiders, bats, octopus, and different types of insects. These robots were primarily designed to tackle real-world practic.....»»